Ojouniver3 - Sin Título

2015 art exhibition at the Manifest Justice creative community exhibition, Los Angeles

LAST CHANCE: NO MORE THAN 19 VAQUITA LEFT

The vaquita (Phocoena sinus), a small porpoise endemic to Mexico and one of the world’s most endangered animals could face extinction within a year if illegal fishing nets continue to be used. Numbers of the vaquita, which only lives in the upper Gulf of California in Mexico, may now have dropped to less than 9 according to research published in Royal Society Open Science.

Despite adoption of an emergency gillnet ban in May 2015, the estimated rate of decline remains extremely high. Estimated total population decline since 2011 is nearly 99%.  Researchers estimate fewer than 19 vaquitas remained as of summer 2018. From March 2016 to March 2019, 10 dead vaquitas killed in gillnets were found.

-  Historical distribution of vaquitas (yellow hatched area). The Vaquita Refuge is outlined in blue. The gillnet exclusion zone (where fishing with gillnets is banned but other types of fishing is allowed) was given straight boundaries (dotted white) described by single latitude and longitude to facilitate enforcement. An enhanced enforcement zone (red) was recommended by CIRVA in the area where the remaining vaquitas are thought to spend most of their time that also has high levels of totoaba fishing effort. 

The ongoing presence of illegal gillnets despite the emergency ban continues to drive the vaquita towards extinction.

Several studies implicate shrimp fishery bycatches to be responsible for the decline of the vaquita. Illegal fishing with gillnets for another critically endangered species endemic to the Gulf of California, the totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldii), is also linked to the decline of the vaquita, which is captured in for its swim bladders used in unproven chinese medicinal benefits

Photo: A vaquita, swiming at Alto Golfo de California, Mexico, by CIRVA/Tom Jefferson

Reference: Jaramillo-Legorreta et al., 2019.  Decline towards extinction of Mexico’s vaquita porpoise (Phocoena sinus) Royal Society Open Science.

[Photo description: an alive vaquita shows its head and dorsal fin above the water surface.]

New York Sun, July 11th, 1934.

Dr. Tesla Says Two of Four Necessary Pieces of Apparatus Have Been Built

Amplifying his birthday anniversary announcement of the prospective invention of an electrical death-ray, or force beam, that would make any country impregnable in time of war, Dr. Nikola Tesla says that two of the four pieces of necessary apparatus already have been constructed and tested.

Four machines combine in the production and use of this destructive beam, which, according to Dr. Tesla would wipe out armies, destroy airplanes and level fortresses at a range limited only by the curvature of the earth. These four are:

First, apparatus for producing manifestations of energy in free air instead of in a high vacuum as in the past. This, it is said, has been accomplished.

Second, the development of a mechanism for generating tremendous electrical force. This, too, Dr. Tesla says, has been solved. The power necessary to achieve the predicted results has been estimated at 50,000,000 volts.

Third, a method of intensifying and amplifying the force developed by the second mechanism.

Fourth, a new method for producing a tremendous electrical repelling force. This would be the projector, or gun of the invention.

While the latter two elements in the plan have not yet been constructed, Dr. Tesla speaks of them as practically assured. Owing to the elaborate nature of the machinery involved, he admits it is merely a defense engine, though battleships could be equipped with smaller units and thus armed could sweep the seas.

In addition to the value of this engine for destruction in time of war, Dr. Tesla said it could be utilized in peace for the transmission of power. He had not developed ideas for receiving apparatus capable of transforming the destructive beam into work units, but considered this merely a matter of detail. No suggestion was made of what might happen if an enemy power obtained possession of one of these receiving outfits, and when attacked by the destructive beam simply put it to work in factories manufacturing munitions or uniforms.

Another addition to the anniversary message of the famous inventor was a positive declaration that he expected soon to construct apparatus that would disprove the theories of modern astronomers that the sun gradually was cooling off and eventually the earth would be unable to sustain life, as it would grow too cold.

Unnamed, unknown, graffiti, 2022

Psalm 103:13 (ESV) - As a father shows compassion to his children,    so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him.

(via theheartbreakerz, theheartbreakerz)